There is no genre that tells us more about our world while not actually being in our world, than the dystopia. Through the semblance of fiction, authors can show us the dangers and limits of our societies. In this difficult social and political climate, there is no better time to read and learn from dystopias. Here are six novels I think are especially important to read in 2017:
1. "1984" by George Orwell.
This classic dystopian novel, written in 1948, is even more relevant in today’s world. Sales of 1984 increased this year by almost 10,000 percent according to the book’s publisher following Kellyanne Conway announcing that the Trump administration had “alternative facts”. The protagonist of the novel works in the Ministry of Truth editing past news stories so that they always show the current administration as in the right, meaning that no one can ever prove the government is lying. With Big Brother always watching, individuality and autonomous thought are banned and enforced by a special band of police who torture rebels back into loving the government in horrible ways. Reading 1984 reminds the reader that the government has always hidden information from the public and makes us wonder – for better or for worse- how that lack of transparency has affected our society.
2. "Fahrenheit 451" by Ray Bradbury.
In Bradbury’s world, books are banned and when found, burned. Many people have theorized that Fahrenheit 451 is a commentary on censorship, but Bradbury rebukes that theory in many of his speeches and interviews, saying that the book was written both in response to the McCarthy era and to Bradbury’s own fear that modern technology would make the printed word obsolete. Although the book itself is amazing and a must-read, I highly recommend reading interviews with Bradbury as well, as he has a very interesting, complex mind.
3. "Anthem" by Ayn Rand.
Anthem, as a novella, is probably the quickest read on this list, but by no means the easiest to forget. Set in a dystopian society where individuality is outlawed, the narrator Equality 7-2521 even refers to himself in plural terminology as the concept of “I” has been banned. The narrator eventually finds his individuality and escapes the society, but is faced with the difficult task of trying to get the rest of the society to rebel. A philosopher famous for her system of Objectivism, which promotes laissez-faire capitalism, some of Rand’s philosophies can be difficult to understand, but when shown through the simple language of Anthem, it becomes easier for the reader to begin to think about the issues she raises in her work.
4. "Animal Farm" by George Orwell.
Yup, another Orwell. After all, he is the father of modern dystopia. Animal Farm is one of those books that you probably had to read in high school and didn’t really understand at the time. I for one, first read it at midnight and was terrified of it for years after. However, Animal Farm is very historical, as Orwell wrote it as a “satirical tale against Stalin”, even describing events similar to those leasing up to the Russian Revolution in 1917 and into the Stalinist era. As Orwell was a democratic socialist (where have we heard that lately?), the novel is a warning of what happens when people (or animals) let power go to their heads.
5. "The Hunger Games" series by Suzanne Collins.
Honestly, if you’re a millennial and you haven’t read The Hunger Games yet, where have you been for the last ten years? These books (and movies) have dominated the young adult entertainment scene since 2008, when the heroine, Katniss Everdeen, was first forced to enter an arena and fight to the death for the entertainment of the rich. Many critics have said that the series is an Americanized version of Battle Royale by Koushun Takami, but the popularity of The Hunger Games has spurred an interest in the dystopian genre, as well as rebellion in the real world, with the three-finger symbol used as a sign of rebellion in the series also being used in a 2014 rebellion in Thailand.(I would also just take this moment to say that my boyfriend was- at one time- number one in Hunger Games trivia in Massachusetts on the Quizup app, so that’s who I’m dating, I’m very proud.)
6. "The Handmaid’s Tale" by Margaret Atwood.
After years of having it recommended to me, I just recently read The Handmaid’s Tale and became absolutely obsessed. Based in a society that was created to prevent sexual assault and rape, our narrator, Offred, is a Handmaiden, a caste of women whose job it is to have the children of the Commanders instead of their Wives. The whole practice is based on the story of Abraham in the Bible where his wife, Sarah, cannot bear children, so she offers for her handmaiden to have his child instead. This book has been all the buzz lately after the election since many feel it shows the dangers of sexual repression and the oppression of women. There is even a new series on Hulu based on the novel that you should definitely check out.
